Sports Reporter

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has paid tribute to his mentor Clive Rice after the ex-South Africa all-rounder died aged 66. Rice had been receiving treatment for a brain tumour and died in a hospital in Cape Town. He was Nottinghamshire coach from 1999 to 2002 and helped introduce South Africa-born Pietersen to English cricket by signing him in 2000. Pietersen said he was “devastated” as “Ricey was like a father figure to me”. (BBC Sport)

McLaren are opposed to plans to limit testing to just eight days in 2016 as the sport prepares to shutdown for a full three months after November’s Abu Dhabi GP. As a result of two more races being added to the calendar, and the season-opening Australian GP being delayed until April, there will be no in-season testing next year and the first of only two pre-season events has been put back until March. It means the sport will stay off track for three full months and the teams will be limited to just eight days of running ahead of the new campaign. (Sky Sports).

Chinese activists are calling on the International Olympic Committee to reject Beijing’s bid to host the 2022 Winter Games in response to what they call a human rights crisis in the country. Members of the IOC will meet in Kuala Lumpur on Friday for a secret ballot that will decide whether the event goes to Almaty in Kazakhstan or Beijing. (Guardian).

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady damaged “the integrity” of American Football and attempted to hide evidence during the ‘Deflate-gate’ investigation, the National Football League has said. The Patriots deflated balls to give themselves an advantage during January’s 45-7 AFC Championship over the Indianapolis Colts in Boston which sent them to the Super Bowl. (BBC Sport).

Former England bowler and talkSPORT presenter Darren Gough called for Ashes groundsmen to ensure there is more movement in the Edgbaston wicket today to play into James Anderson’s strengths. Anderson was largely ineffective as the entire England bowling attack toiled on a lifeless Lord’s pitch, taking just 10 wickets in the match as Australia levelled the series at 1-1 with a resounding 405-run victory. (talkSPORT).

England’s rugby players have been warned not to use Twitter “after a tough defeat” as part of social media guidelines issued by the Rugby Football Union for this year’s World Cup, Telegraph Sport can reveal. The 24-point guide also warns Stuart Lancaster’s squad not to react to potentially provocative messages sent by rival players or fans from other teams, insisting that engaging in a public Twitter argument “is a battle you won’t win.” The RFU have already taken the unprecedented move of preventing their players writing newspaper columns or making video diaries during the tournament, which is being hosted in England in September and October. (Telegraph).